Printing mechanism with traveling cylinder



June 3, 1969 YOW-JIUN HU PRINTING MECHANISM WITH TRAVELING CYLINDER Filed May 25. 1966 6 .4 W x w x 0 W 6 .1 @W J 4 7 z 4 J W r. 4. 4 a 7v 2 T7 ,1 f 1 5 4 Q 2%, w) 2 I w a W a 5 W M 7a m w I 7 H 1 I Wm I N VEN TOR aw fix/1v Ha QMM ATTORNEY June 3, .1969 YOW-JIUN u 3,447,458

PRINTING MECHANISM WITH TRAVELING CYLINDER Filed May 25. .1966 Sheet (2 Of 2 FIG. 7

United States Patent U.S. Cl. 101269 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A printing device is disclosed wherein a base is provided for supporting a printing plate or the like. A printing head is pivotally mounted with respect to the base, the head being normally biased upwardly and away from the base. Actuator means are pivotally connected to the printing head. Slots are disposed in the side of the head and a roller platen is mounted within the slots for slideable movement therein. Downward pressure on the actuating means first causes the printing head to be moved into engagement with the base, the roller platen being held in position prior to the head being locked into position by retaining means pivotally connected to the head. After the printing head is locked into position, the retaining means disengage the roller platen and with further downward pressure asserted on the actuating member, the roller platen is forced to move along the slots and over the printing area to effect an imprint.

The present invention relates to a printing machine and, more particularly to an improved printing machine for recording data on documents from individual printing devices, of a kind suitable for use as identification tokens, by impressing a platen across the face of the document and the printing device.

Those concerned with the development of imprinters have long recognized the need in an imprinter of the manually operated type, for one which requires a light application of manual pressure, yet is capable of providing a uniform application of pressure to a roller platen for producing a quality imprint. It is the general purpose of this invention to accomplish the above function by providing a printing machine that contemplates a simply constructed yet efficient means for locking the printing head of a printing machine into a closed printing position relative to a base having a printing field thereon and then allowing a roller platen to be easily impelled across the printing field while providing sufficient and uniform printing pressure.

Objects of the invention are to provide a printing machine which produces clear cut and uniform printing, which operates conveniently and with little effort, which is simple and economical in construction, and which allows for quick and easy adjustment.

Other objects, advantages, and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of a printing machine constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the printing machine shown in FIGURE 1 with the printing head being shown in the closed position.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the printing machine shown in FIGURE 1 with the printing head in a closed position, with the roller platen at the end of its printing stroke and with certain parts broken away for clarity.

Patented June 3, 1969 FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the front end of the printing machine shown in FIGURE 1 showing a certain action by retaining member 58.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of the rear end of the printing machine shown in FIGURE 1, disclosing the action of the roller platen on crank 46 at the end of the printing operation.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a shaft 47 which may be employed for pivoting crank 46.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a pin 38 which may be employed for pivoting the printing head 16.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIGURE 1 one embodiment of a printing machine constructed in accordance with this invention. In this figure the printing machine comprises a base 15, a printing head 16 and an actuator arm 17, one end of the printing head being pivotally mounted on base 15 for movement into and out of a printing position on the base. In FIGURE 1 printing head 16 is shown in an elevated, non-printing position, while in FIGURE 2 printing head 16 is shown in its lower, printing position.

Midway of base 15 there is an area wherein a seat 18 is placed for supporting and locating a portable printing plate 22 bearing raised characters thereon. Spaced about the seat is a guide member 19 having vertical wall members 21, for properly positioning over printing plate 22 a document 23 upon which an imprint is to be transferred from the printing plate.

Actuator arm 17 is provided with a pair of side frames 24, and an operating handle at one end in the form of a ball 25, the opposite end of the actuator arm having a pivoted connection with one end of printing head 16 by way of a shaft 26 extending through the side frames 24 and side walls 27, 28, which side walls 27, 28 comprise part of printing head 16 that is in the form of a hollow casting. The side walls 27 and 28 are respectively formed with aligned elongated guide slots 29 and 31, through which slots is passed a shaft 32 carrying a roller platen 33 adapted for rotatable motion thereabout, the roller platen being of the dry or ink impregnated type such as that disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,620,730 to Gilbert.

As may be observed from FIGURE 3, encircling the opposite ends of shaft 32 are a pair of flanged cap rolls 30 and spacer bearings 30a, each made of suitable wear resistant material. The extreme ends of shaft 32 are each secured to one of a pair of arms 34, which arms extend upwardly and are pivotably mounted about a transverse rod 35 supported by side frames 24 intermediate the ends of actuator arm 17. To maintain actuator arm 17 is an upward condition spaced from printing head 16 as shown in FIGURE 1, a spring 36 is mounted about shaft 26 and extended at one end to exert a continuous biasing force against the underside of actuator arm 17, urging the actuator arm relative to the printing head into the position shown. The remaining end of spring 36 is held in a fixed position by inserting the spring through an aperture 40 in side wall 27, as shown in FIGURE 2.

Toward the rear of the base, as may be observed from FIGURES i2 and 3, is an upstanding lug 37 through which is journalled a hinge pin 38 the extremities of the pin adapted to be received through side walls 27, 28 at an area approaching the rear edge of printing head'16, thus mounting printing head 16 for pivotable movement toward and away from the upper surface of base 15. Lug 37 is cut away at its center portion 39, to expose a part of the pin 38 about which is mounted a spring 41 one end of which spring is extended to act upwardly against a crossbar 42 running across the underside of printing head 16, while the remaining end of spring 41 is protruded downwardly to be held in a fixed position through an opening formed in the lug. Thus spring 41 will exert a 3 continuous biasing force against the underside of printing head 16 to the position shown in FIGURE 1.

The rear end of base is cut away at 43 so that end of the base will take on a U shaped configuration having extension pieces 44 and 45 as disclosed in FIGURES 1 and 3. Within the U shaped area is placed a crank 46 pivotally connected to the base by way of a shaft 47 journalled in the crank, the shaft ends being received within apertures in each of the extension pieces 44 and 45. Intermediate the ends of the shaft 47 the crank is cut away at 48 allowing a spring 49 to be disposed in encompassing relation to the shaft 47 one end of the spring protruding upwardly into an opening 51 within the crank shown in FIGURE 2, while the opposite end of the spring engages an opening 52 within base 15 to be fixedly secured thereto. Therefore, spring 49 will exert a continuous biasing force against crank 46 to urge it in the direction of printing head 16 as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

Crank 46 at its upper end is formed with a transverse recess 53 provided to be compatible with a transverse extension 54 of printing head 16 as is shown in FIGURE 2. Midway of crank 46 there is further provided a transverse ridge 55 also adapted to be compatible with transverse extension 54 of printing head 16. The crank at its lower end is additionally projected outwardly in the form of a bar 56 integrally connected thereto, the bar being terminated at one area in a diagonal arrangement at 57 to slightly coextend alongside one end of the elongated guide slot 31 when printing head 16 is engaged in a printing position as illustrated in FIGURE 2. As may be better observed from viewing FIGURE 6, crank shaft 47 is provided with ends 474: which project into an eccentric hearing portion 47b integrally related to ends 47a, the crank 46 being mounted on portion 4712 while the ends of 47a protrude when turning the shaft 47 by way of a notch 47a in end 470 the height of the crank 46 relative to base 15 may be adjusted and locked by suitable conventional means for reasons to be disclosed hereinafter.

As is illustrated in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4 at the front end of printing head 16 adjacent side wall 28, a retaining member 58 is provided to be pivotally arranged about shaft 26 between side wall 28 and the adjacent side frame 24 of actuator arm 17. A spring 59 is adapted to bias retaining member 58 downwardly, spring 59 being secured at one end to side frame 24 and running about shaft 26 to be fixed at its other end to retaining member 58 as may be readily observed from FIGURE 4. The retaining member is bent or folded over at 61 to form a stop member for abutting the top of side wall 28 to prevent the retaining member from being urged any further about shaft 26 in the clockwise direction as viewed from FIGURE 4. The right hand side of retaining member is also provided with a hook 62 for retaining the roller platen shaft 32 (as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2) and simultaneously immobilizing actuating arm 17 via arm 34 relative to printing head 16, when a printing operation is not being performed. At the bottom of retaining member 58 is a finger 63 positioned to slightly rotate retaining member 58 in a counter-clockwise direction about shaft 26 when the actuator arm is depressed downwardly, thus raising that end containing hook 62 to release the roller platen shaft 32 from engagement with the raised hook.

If desired, the ends of pin 38 could be provided with a pair of circular caps 38a affixed thereto as shown in FIG- URE 7, the caps being placed off center relative to the center axis of pin 38 and seated with side walls 27, 28 of printing head 16, thus forming eccentric bearings which when adjusted could raise or lower the height of the printing bed relative to the base.

In operation of the present invention, assuming that the initial position of the printing machine be that shown in FIGURE 1 where the printing head 16 is in an elevated non-printing position, the rear transverse extension 54 through extension pieces 44 and 45, thereby of the printing head is supported in an abutting relation with the transverse ridge 55 on crank 46, and printing plate 22 is first positioned on seat 18 and document 23 is located to overlie the printing plate. The operator will then grasp operating handle 25 and depress actuator arm 17 and printing head 16 downwardly toward the printing plate and, due to the clasping action of retaining member 58 by way of hook 62 engaging the roller platen shaft 32, actuator arm will be immobilized relative to printing head 16 and therefore printing head 16 will also be depressed downwardly simultaneous with the movement of actuator arm 17.

As the printing head is directed downwardly adjacent base 15 into a printing position, crank 46 is biased in a counter-clockwise direction and transverse extension 54 of printing head 16 will engage the transverse recess 53 of crank 46 to secure and lock the printing head in a printing position relative to the base as illustrated in FIGURE 2. As the operating handle 25 in a single continuous motion is further slightly depressed, a slight downward movement of printing head 16 will be accommodated at its front end, during which movement finger 63 will strike the top of base 15 and tend to pivot retaining member 58 about shaft 26 in the counter-clockwise direction thereby raising the hook 62 from engagement with shaft 32 to release the same. Subsequent force depressed by the operator on handle 25 will impel roller shaft 32 and thus roller platen 33 from the front to the rear of the printing head along a path defined by elongated guide slots 29 and 31, causing the roller platen to traverse the area occupied by printing plate 22 and document 23 to transfer an imprint therebetween by means of pressure introduced through the roller platen.

As the roller platen is further impelled toward the end of the elongated slots 29, 31 as shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, spacer bearing 3011, at one end of the roller shaft 32, will strike bar 56 at its diagonal cut area 57 and force the bar and thereby crank 46 in a clockwise direction about shaft 47. As crank 46 is urged about shaft 47, transverse recess 53 will be spaced from transverse extension 54 causing spring 41 to urge the released printing head 16, about pin 38, away from the printing area on base 15 into the position shown in FIGURE 1 where the transverse extension 54 is in abutting relationship with transverse ridge 55 to maintain the printing head in a suitable open position. Meanwhile, as the operator takes his hand away from operating handle 25, spring 36 will urge actuator arm 17 away from printing head 16 to the position shown in FIGURE 1 where roller shaft 32 is secured to the spring biased retaining member by way of hook 62.

The pressure introduced by the roller platen is, in part, determined by the amount of upward vertical movement which printing head 16 is allowed to undertake during the printing operation, and since this vertical movement is limited in motion to its pivotal movement about pin 38 and the height of crank 46 relative to the base 16 considering that transverse extension 54 abuts transverse recess 53; then, if desired, the upward vertical movement of printing head 16 may be controlled by readily adjusting the eccentric portions of pin 38 and shaft 47 shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, respectively, to achieve optimum printing pressure. Furthermore, by singly adjusting the eccentric portion of shaft 47 the path defined by the elongated slots 29, 31 in the printing head, may be made to be parallel with the top of the printing field defined by the top of seat 18.

It is observed that one of the important features of the present invention may be observed with reference to a portion of the machine which comprises that part of actuator arm 17 extending from the fixed shaft 26, to shaft 35 which part might be considered a link, while the arms 34 pivotable about the actuator arm might be considered as a second link or pair of links. The end of the second link is connected to the roller shaft 32 which acts as a slider member since it is slid along the elongated slots 29 and 31. The combined length of the two links should be sufiicient so that the roller shaft 32 may be slid past the printing field to the end of the elongated slots where at the shaft end will act upon bar 56 to rotate crank 46. Thus, it can be readily seen that instead of applying force at operating handle 25 which is secured to the extended portion of the actuator arm, one could easily extend arms 34, if desired, at which latter extension a downward force could be applied to the linkage for sliding roller shaft 32 via slots 29, 31 and cause an imprint to be made.

It will be understood, of course, that the present invention may be used independent of the specific eccentric adjustment mechanisms disclosed, as other means are available for obtaining optimum printing pressure in the present invention, such as, for example, providing shims under seat 18 to elevate or lower the same relative to base 15 or the printing path defined by the elongated slots in the printing head.

Further, it is important to note that the pressure applied in depressing the operating handle downwardly, when the printing head is in a printing or closed position adjacent base 15, is an extremely light pressure and is merely used for impelling the roller platen 33 across the length of the path defined by the elongated slots, and is not relied upon for the imprinting pressure. The imprinting pressure is obtained by locking the printing head into a printing position via crank 46, allowing printing pressure to be transferred from the top of the elongated guide slots, to the roller shaft 32 and thereby to roller platen 3 3 as it tranverses the area occupied by the printing plate.

What is claimed is:

1. In the art of printing machines of the type adapted to use a portable printing device, a machine comprising a base adapted to support a printing device, a printing head pivotally mounted on the base for movement between a lower printing position and an elevated retracted position relative to the base, the printing head having spaced side 'Walls provided with a pair of elongated slots having downwardly facing bearing surfaces which are substantially parallel with the top of the base when the printing head is in printing position, a roller platen for pressing a document interposed between the base and the printing head, shaft ends projecting from the ends of the roller platen and adapted for coaction with said bearing surfaces, means for normally biasing the printing head into the elevated retracted position, first link means pivotally mounted at one end in a fixed position relative to the printing head, second link means pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said first link, the second link means being connected at its other end to the shaft ends, the pivotal connection between said first and second link means adapted to continuously move downwardly and towards said roller platen when pressure is applied thereto for moving the roller platen by way of the elongated slots over the printing device to accomplish an imprint, and locking means for releasably locking into engagement said printing head with the base when the printing head is moved into its lower printing position, and retaining means pivotally connected to the printing head and biased about an axis common with the fixed pivotal position of the first link means, said retaining means adapted to releasably hold the roller platen shaft when the printing head is moved from its elevated retracted position to its lower printing position, and disengagement means for urging said retaining means about its pivotal connection against its biased condition to disengage the roller platen shaft from the retaining means as the printing head is locked into its lower printing position.

2. In the art of printing machines according to claim 1, wherein the path defined by the elongated slots is in line with the fixed pivotal position of said first link means.

3. In the art of printing machines according to claim 1, wherein said locking means is pivotally connected to the base for limited rotatable movement thereabout.

4. In the art of printing machines according to claim 1, including means for normally biasing the first link means away from the printing head.

5. In the art of printing machines according to claim 1, including releasing means fixedly secured to said locking means and adapted to urge said locking means about its pivotal connection to release the printing head from locking engagement therewith when the releasing means is acted upon by the roller platen shaft after an imprint has been effected.

6. In the art of printing machines according to claim 1, including adjustable means between the pivotal mounting of the printing head relative to the base for adjusting the space bet-ween the bottom of the roller platen and the top of the base.

7. In the art of printing machines of the type adapted to use a portable printing device, a machine comprising a base adapted to support a printing device, a printing head pivotally mounted on the base for movement between a lower printing position and an elevated printing position relative to the base, the printing head having spaced side walls provided with downwardly facing bearing surfaces which are substantially parallel with the top of the base when the printing head is in the printing position, a roller platen for pressing a document interposed between the base and the printing head, shaft ends projecting from the ends of the roller platen, bearing rollers fitted over the shaft ends and bearing against said bearing surfaces, a first spring means for normally biasing the printing head into the elevated retracted position, an actuating member pivotally mounted relative to the printing head, a pair of arms pivotally connected at one end to said actuating member and having slots at the other end to receive said shaft ends for moving the roller platen, second biasing means for normally biasing the actuator arm about its pivotal mounting away from the printing head, a crank like member pivotally connected to the base for releasably locking engagement with the printing head when moved into its lower printing position, said crank like member being acted upon by the shaft end to release the printing head from locking engagement with the base after the roller platen has traversed an area overlying the printing device, retaining means pivotally connected to the printing head about an axis common with the pivotal connection of the actuating member for releasably securing the roller platen shaft when the printing head is moved from its elevated retracted position to its lower printing position.

8. In the art of printing machines according to claim 7, including third biasing means for normally biasing the retaining means about its pivotal connection for securing the shaft ends, and disengagement means for urging said retaining means against said biased condition to disengage said roller platen shaft from the retaining means as the printing head is locked into its lower printing position.

9. In the art of printing machines according to claim 7, including adjustable means for eccentrically mounting the printing head relative to the base for adjusting the space between the bottom of the roller platen and the base.

10. 'In the art of printing machines of the type adapted to use a portable printing device, a machine comprising a base adapted to support a printing device, a printing head pivotally mounted on the base for movement between a lower printing position and an elevated retracted position relative to the base, the printing head having spaced side walls provided with a pair of elongated slots having downwardly facing bearing surfaces which are substantially parallel with the top of the base when the printing head is in printing position, a roller platen for pressing a document interposed between the base and the printing head, shaft ends projecting from the ends of the roller platen and adapted for coaction with said bearing surfaces, means for normally biasing said printing head into the elevated retracted position, actuating means pivotally connected to said printing head for moving the roller platen by way of the elongated slots over the printing device to effect an imprint whenever pressure is applied to said actuating means, locking means for releasably locking said printing head into engagement with the base when the printing head is moved to its lower printing position, and retaining means pivotally connected to the printing head for releasably securing the roller platen while the printing head is moved from its elevated retracted position to its lower printing position.

11. In the art of printing machines according to claim 10 including disengagement means for urging said retai'ning means about its pivotal connection to disengage the roller platen from the retaining means when the printing head is locked into its lower printing position.

12. In the art of printing machines according to claim 11 including biasing means for normally biasing the retaining means about its pivotal connection for securing said roller platen.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/ 1926 Bullock 101-269 5/1956 Gruver et a1. 101-269 XR 5/ 1960 Doherty et al 101-269 6/ 1960 Williams 101269 5/1961 Maul 101269 6/1965 Hill 101-269 FOREIGN PATENTS 4/1965 Great Britain.

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Exmniner. 15 CLIFFORD D. CROWDER, Assistant Exmniner. 

